The cast of the television series MythBusters perform experiments to verify or debunk urban legends, old wives' tales, and the like. This is a list of the various myths tested on the show as well as the results of the experiments (the myth is either busted, plausible, or confirmed). The 2014 season premiered on January 4, 2014, changing to a Saturday time slot. The show resumed in July, called a "new season" by the Discovery Channel. It then moved to a Thursday time slot.
This would be the last season for Kari Byron, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara, after it was announced the build team would not be returning for the 2015 season. Hyneman and Savage would be the sole hosts of the show from this point onwards. In December 2014, Savage would go on to address the Build Team departures, indicating that the separation was a result of failed contract negotiations between Discovery Networks and the team members.
Episode overview
Episode 208 – "Star Wars Special" Original air date: January 4, 2014
Adam, Jamie, and the Build Team examined three scenes from the Star Wars film series—eventually choosing one scene from each episode of the original trilogy. This episode is alternatively referred to as "Revenge of the Myth" or "SithBusters." They tested...
Episode 209 – "Moonshiner Myths" Original air date: January 11, 2014
Exploding Still
Firewater Fuel
Episode 210 – "Hollywood Car Crash Cliches" Original air date: January 18, 2014
Adam, Jamie, and the Build Team explored three scenarios related to vehicle-based movie stunts and effects.
Slapstick Shatter
SUV vs. RPG
Traffic Ram
Episode 211 – "Car Chase Chaos / Animal Antics" Original US air date: January 25, 2014 Original Australia air date: June 3, 2013
Car Chase Chaos
Adam and Jamie tested three different movie clichés involving car chases, seeing how they compared to driving normally:
Animal Avoidance
In an expansion of the myth that flies are repelled by water, the Build Team tested various "at home" methods for repelling various types of animals:
Serpent Stop
One myth was cut from the initial U.S. airing of the episode and was broadcast on the MythBusters' website:
Foil Cat Deterrent
Kari stated during a Twitter Q&A that the myth of cats being repelled by aluminum foil was also recorded, but it was cut from the U.S. airing and to date has not been released on the MythBusters' website. It had, however, been aired in the version of the episode aired in the Asia-Pacific region.
Episode 212 – "*DO* Try This at Home?" Original air date: February 1, 2014
Adam, Jamie, and the Build Team explored eight short myths to determine both their accuracy and the ease with which viewers might be able to test them at home.
Microwave Water
Extreme Extinguishing
N-Sync
Chain Reaction
Elephant Toothpaste
Exploding Snake
Soda Bomb Safety
Water Tricks
Episode 213 – "Mythssion Impossible" Original air date: February 15, 2014
Herding Cats
Greased Pig
Full of Cr*p
Episode 214 – "Bullet Baloney" Original air date: February 22, 2014
The MythBusters take on a series of filmic firearm cliches as follows:
Bent Barrel
What is Bulletproof? (v.6) Using a mock-up of a carnival-style shooting gallery, the Build Team tested the effectiveness of some everyday items at stopping bullets, including:
Shotgun Spear
Gun in a Vacuum
Adam explained the reason for the second justification of the myth not being true on Twitter, stating that the accelerant in a bullet contains an oxygenator, thus rendering oxygen from the air unnecessary.
Neon Nightmare
Deep Fried Firearm
Episode 215 – "Supersonic Ping Pong/Ice Cannon" Original air date: March 1, 2014
Killer Ping Pong Ball
Ice Cannon
Episode 216 – "Fire in the Hole" Original air date: July 10, 2014
An examination of Hollywood movie scenarios involving explosions.
Grenade Shoot
Seconds from Disaster
The Build Team investigated the possibility of surviving a bomb explosion by placing the device in a container and diving out of the way. They first set up a charge of C-4 at the bomb range and detonated it as a control test, with rupture discs placed at distances of up to . These discs were calibrated to burst at , the threshold of shock wave injuries; the disc at was the farthest one that burst.
For each test, they placed the charge in the enclosure, with a disc and several Styrofoam cutout figures (to gauge shrapnel injuries) at a distance of . They tested...